Srinagar, March 02: The Directorate of Health Services Jammu has directed all doctors in government hospitals to adhere to prescription norms in their respective institutions.
The move has come as doctors across public hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir don’t adhere to prescription norms, leading to mass medication that burdens out-of-pocket expenditures.
“It is enjoined upon all Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of various Govt. Hospitals of Health Department Jammu division to adhere to directives/guidelines in their respective Districts/Health Institutions,” DHS Jammu said in a circular issued on Saturday. It directed all the doctors to write the prescriptions of patients in capital form so that the patients would know what drugs they are prescribed so that patients may not take any wrong medicine in order to implement the New Drug Policy.
“Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters following the provisions/guidelines of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulation, 2002,” the circular said. The Health Department Jammu has instructed doctors to ensure patient participation in decisions regarding their healthcare. “Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and compulsory in capital letters,” the circular said, adding that the doctors should prescribe in capital letters legibly throughout J&K UT.
It further stated that doctors should write the patient’s diagnosis, prescribed medicines, and specific drug-related information on the prescription. It also stated that doctors and technicians should write medico-legal reports in capital letters for clarity across the entire UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
On February 11, Rising Kashmir reported that doctors in public hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir have failed to follow prescription norms, leading to widespread medication practices that increase out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
